Bag-fastener



Patented Jan.30,1883.

BAG FASTENER.

G. H. ST. JOHN.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR I f I I ATTORNEY WITNESSES fioda/a/k/w in the art to which it pertains to make and use view of a device embodying my invention.

annoyance.

UNITE STATES ATENT rricn.

GEORGE H. ST. JOHN, ()F DETROIT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM W. ANDRUS, OF ATTIOA, MICHIGAN.

BAG-FAS SPEGIFICATTON forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,536, dated January 30, 1883, Application filed August 30, 1881. Renewed June 29, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE H. ST. JOHN, of Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Bag-Fasteners; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled it,'reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. I Myinvention consists of the combinations of devices and appliances hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, and Fig. 3 a cross-section. Fig. 4 represents a mail-bag with my device in use. Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the method of housing the slack cord, and showing the latter partially wound into the block.

Heretofore it has been customary to employ various kinds of fastening devices; but gen-e erally the loose or slack cord, when the bag has been closed, is cumbersome to dispose of, and is tied up into a bow-knot orother shape, so as to be out of the way. Such ends, however, frequently become entangled, and rather than spend the time to untie or disentangle them they are frequently cut and destroyed. \Vith the largenumber of mail-sacks in daily use this becomes a source of great expense and It is the object of my invention to supply a means for taking up and housing this slack cord, and at the same time effectually fasten the bag-mouth.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a mail-sack or other bag of similar character. B is its closing-cord.

O is my improved tying device. It consists of an open block or frame, there beingalower plate, 0, which rests upon and is secured by rivets c or otherwise to the sack, there being asuitable washer of leather or metal at 0 within the sack, to form a secure fastening for the rivets.

c are posts projecting up from the lower plate tosupport the outer or cap plate, and made hollow for the passage of the rivets attached to the cap-plate.

O is the cap-plate, and c are rivets project= ing therefrom through the hollow posts 0 and riveted to the under side of the plate 0, as shown. The plates 0 0 are each beveled on twardly at their edges, and are adjusted a little distance apart, so as readily to guide the slack cord into the interior as itis wound up. There are one or two holes, 0 at the upper end of the plate 0, through which the two strands of the tying-cord are passed. This part of the device will now be understood.

Then it is desired to close the mouth of the sack the tying-cord is drawn up tight in the usual way. The long slack end of the cord is then Wound round and round between the plates 0 (1 about the posts 0 until it has all or nearly all disappeared within the cavity between the plates. The edges of the lower plate are raised, so as to form an upwardly-project- 7o ing ridge, and the cap-plate O is considerably concaved beneath, so that the two will leave ample space between them for the cord as it is wound in, and yet the edges come so near to each other that the cord, once housed, is not liableto come loose or unwind from the block or frame except it is intentionally done. The cord is thus kept in good condition, is not entangled, and is entirely housed and out of the way when the bag is in use, except, perhaps, the extreme end.

If it is desired to affix labels to the bag-fasteners, the outer surface of the outer plate may be provided with a dovetailed recess, one end of which is open, and into which may be slipped and firmly secured atits edges a label or tag, D, ot'.the usual character.

In order thatthe tag may not he accidentally slipped out of its place, and yet be so arranged as to offer no obstruction to the ready removal of it- When desired, I make a small ridge orlip upon the plate outside the end of the dovetailed slot, atd, and over which the tag or label (an be readily forced by the thumb of the operator.

1 would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise form of plates 0 0 shown in the drawings, for they may be considerably varied therefrom without departing from my invention. So, also, the plate and I00 cap may be adjusted, if desired, closer together at one end than at the other, so as to freely admit the cord at one end, but ofler a considerable obstacle to its disengagement at the other end.

I would also have it understood that I do not limit myself to the hollow posts 0 and rivets c, for the posts may be made solid and their upper ends be riveted to the top plate, or, projecting down from the top plate, may be riveted to the bottom plate, if desired.

I am aware that a bag-cord holder has been composed of two facing-plates with flat inner surfaces for gripping the tying-cord, and I do not claim such construction.

What I claim is- 1. A bag-cord holder composed of two plates facing each other, with their edges separated and their facing surfaces connected by one or more interior posts, one or" both of said plates GEORGE HENRY ST. JOHN.

\Vitnesses:

J. EDWARD WARREN, SAMUEL E. THOMAS. 

